Friday, April 10, 2009

Old golfers, oversold Cubbies and cold Sox

Now that the bizarre infatuation with Greg Norman is over - a 50-something, billionaire choker as an underdog? - the youngsters can get on to being the story at the Masters.

You're up, Kenny Perry!

Gotta love a guy who's two months older than me being tied for the 36-hole lead. And unlike codger/curiosity Norman, who barely is a part-time golfer any more these days, Perry actually has a chance to win the thing.

There's A Carpenter In The House

What? We're supposed to be impressed that once (and future?) Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter earned his first win in eons with a one-hitter?

Let us know when he throws a no-hitter!

Besides, it's not as if he really matters. I mean, he doesn't pitch for the Yankees, Red Sox or Cubs, right?

The Balder Truth

Nice ninth inning for the Cubs in Milwaukee.

New closer Kevin Gregg got himself in trouble by walking famed and feared Chris Duffy with one out. Then he gave up Rickie Weeks' hard, deep liner that a good left fielder would have caught but Alfonso Soriano let get over his head for a game-tying double.

Gregg then threw a wild pitch that catcher-by-default Koyie Hill couldn't corral, letting Weeks get to third. And after Corey Hart walked, shortstop Ryan Theriot fielded Ryan Braun's grounder into the hole but threw home weakly and in the dirt. Weeks scored as Hill grabbed Theriot's bouncer but couldn't block home plate.

So, to recap:

Bad pitching by Kerry Wood's successor ... bad fielding by a guy who plays left field like the awful second baseman he was ... bad throw by a shortstop better suited to play second base ... bad plays by a catcher forced into action because Geovany Soto is hurt and the Cubs failed to keep reliable backup Henry Blanco.

These are the NL Central favorites, aren't they?

The Quote

"We want you back!" - a White Sox fan after new Twin Joe Crede took Jose Contreras deep in his first swing against his former team.

(I understand the sentiment, but Crede's replacement, Josh Fields, has been the team's best player this season.)

THE BALDEST TRUTH

Yes, Crede homered to hurt the Sox ... and then things really went downhill for the cold, surly fans who turned out to watch their heroes get humiliated by the Twinkies.

Just about the only thing the fans had to cheer about was a moron being tackled by security after running onto the field. (Hey, at least he didn't mug the first-base coach.) Oh, they also cheered (perhaps a little derisively) when Ozzie Guillen yanked Mike MacDougal after the scatter-armed reliever walked two batters on eight pitches during Minnesota's seven-run seventh inning.

Methinks I've underestimated Ron Gardenhire's Twins for the umpteenth straight season. And, in the process, maybe overestimated the South Siders.